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Bidding for Funding – Training Course Outline

One of the biggest challenges you face when bidding for funding is convincing the funder or commissioner that not only do you meet, or exceed, their objectives but that you are best placed to do so efficiently and effectively.

Charities, academic institutions, hospitals and other not-for-profit organisations have to cope with a long and often tortuous process of PQQs and ITTs to secure the grants that enable them to do their job. The pressure of working on long bids to tight deadlines, with so much at stake, is enormous.

Our Bidding for Funding course shows you step-by-step how to write winning bids by making the process easier and more efficient. You will learn insider tips from bid writers experienced in helping organisations like yours write successful bids.

What you will learn on this bid writing course

By the end of the course, you will know how to:

Create a framework for success

Use the eight principles of good writing to improve your writing style

How we deliver the course

A two-day training session. You will cover all the course contents in the two-day version. In addition you will have the opportunity to do more exercises and have more time working on documents you bring to the session, with the trainer's help.

A one-day course. We cover the modules you choose as most relevant to your organisation's requirements, and are happy to discuss with you the specific content so you can make an informed choice.

Please bring these items

We would like delegates to bring with them a bid they are currently working on, or something completed previously, so that they can practise some of the teaching points that arise during training. They can work on their own bids if confidentiality is an issue. If time is available they may also like to consult individually with the trainer on any matters that concern them about their own writing.

Follow up session

Get the most from a staff training day and make sure valuable ideas aren't forgotten by booking a follow-up session. Our trainer will visit you again a month to six weeks after your course to give delegates the chance to:

discuss how they implemented what they learnt

go over points from the course

practise their skills by working on their own writing with the trainer’s help

Course Contents

Want Something a Little Different?

Give us a call today and we will tailor a course to suit you!

1. A framework for success

The BASDELL business writing model – a formula that covers the main elements to consider when writing bids.

2. Easy ways to improve your writing style

Common pitfalls in bid writing

The eight principles of clear writing

Making your writing persuasive

3. Analysing your bid and your readers

Understanding the ITT

What type of bid is it? Are there a lot of prescriptive questions? Can you choose the structure and layout?

Analysing your audience and why it is important to your writing style

What will persuade the audience to fund you rather than other bidders?

Looking for bids staff?

Our specialist recruitment service can help you. Call us today!

4. Designing your structure

The benefits of structuring before you start writing

Three techniques to sequence and structure your material

How you should construct a compliance matrix and why it can help you

Presenting adequate information to support your ideas

Handling pre-defined questions (prescriptive bids) and non-compliance

Why you don’t always have to follow the structure of the RFP or ITT

5. Developing your solution and strategy

What are we trying to achieve?

The four categories of content for a winning bid and how to use them to your best advantage

How to set your objectives to make sure that you stay on track and keep to the brief

The importance of using a visual theme to develop your strategy

Quick and clear messages – what are the critical messages you want to give the customer?

Planning the writing task

Pre-Course Questionnaire

When you book we send you a questionnaire which we ask you to return to us before you attend the course. This enables our Trainers to assess your needs in advance.

6. Gathering your information

Finding sources for your data

Managing the process

Collecting and evaluating information

Customising standard or boilerplate text – making it meaningful to the customer

Customising graphics or turning text into graphics

7. Creating an Executive Summary

When do you write an Executive Summary and what should it include?

What structure should you use for an Executive Summary?

What to include and what to leave out

Capturing the reader’s interest in the first paragraph

8. Writing your first draft

How to bring together objective, audience, structure and information

The importance of the right mindset – how to avoid getting sidetracked

The four big steps – prepare, draft, relax, polish

How to write powerful, attention grabbing headings

How to make your text more readable

Ensuring you achieve maximum impact

English – the universal language? Some pointers on making your text suitable for international audiences

Answering pre-defined questions (prescriptive bids)

9. Using illustrations

Why do we use illustrations?

When to use illustrations and how to ensure they are relevant

The importance of getting it right

Things to check when including illustrations

10. Editing and proof reading your bid

The importance of editing your own work before passing it on for review. A top-down approach to improving your text